


Five Times Clem Doesn't Envy Spike (And One Time He Does)

by ever_neutral



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-25
Updated: 2010-11-25
Packaged: 2017-10-17 22:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/181996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ever_neutral/pseuds/ever_neutral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sunnydale’s a hard place to find real love. </p><p>[S6-7. Canon-compliant.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Clem Doesn't Envy Spike (And One Time He Does)

  
Clem’s first impression of the Slayer isn’t especially a good one. Later on he’ll come to the conclusion that she’s a sweet girl, really - but this night, bitter seems to be her flavor.

To tell the truth, he has no clue why Spike would be chums with this tight-skinned human who makes faces and insults their choice of currency. Clem figures it must be a chemical thing, but from where he’s sitting on the other side of the table… He doesn’t get it, really.

Then she lets the kittens escape, and well. That’s that.

*

The second time Clem meets Buffy, he’s the one showing up uninvited. With Spike, of course. A party for humans isn’t usually his kind of thing, but hey, Clem’s an easygoing guy. Humans are fun sometimes. And he might meet someone nice!

Plus, Spike seemed all _nervous_ when he asked him to tag along, and Clem is nothing if not a supportive friend.

The party ends up going on… longer than planned. But he can’t lie: it’s a good time! He’s still slightly confused by the humans and their non- kitten-trading ways, but maybe more importantly, he realizes he quite likes Buffy and her friends. Especially that nice girl Sophie.

He notices Buffy making a new friend, too. Clem doesn’t have too much experience, but he thinks the guy seems cute! Spike doesn’t seem to like him much. But Spike doesn’t seem to like anyone much, apart from himself, and Buffy. Except that Spike and Buffy are bickering again. Clem wonders, not for the first time, why they would enjoy each other’s company when they don’t seem to… enjoy each other’s company.

He doesn’t think he gets them, really.

*

At first, Clem is real excited to be invited to Buffy’s friends’ wedding.

What can he say, he’s a romantic.

Of course, the wedding turns out to be a bust. The human side of the family is totally barbaric. One of them insults his ears. Clem can’t believe how _rude_ some humans can be. And to think, they call _him_ a demon! And then the happy union ends up not happening and well, it’s all very depressing, really.

But before everything goes to hell, it does seem like it’ll be a nice day! The music’s great, everyone seems to be getting along… Clem even thinks he sees Spike and Buffy being nice to each other, away from the crowd. Which makes him happy for his friend. He knows how cut up Spike was about being dumped.

Lot of that going around.

Pfft. Relationships. Breaking up, getting back together, working up a ton of nervous energy… Clem thinks maybe it’s all more trouble than it’s worth.

*

This time, Spike’s _really_ in a funk. Not in the mood for _Nightrider_ at. _all_. Clem wonders how many break-ups – or not-break-ups – it’ll take before his vampire buddy really cracks his lid.

Er, if that hasn’t happened already, that is.

Then all of a sudden Spike’s declaring that he has to leave, take an important trip of some kind, gotta get something, it’ll fix all his problems. Tells Clem to stay put in the crypt, which Clem is only happy to do, of course. Then he’s off, like a mad thing.

Whew. Love. messy thing. Clem prefers TV.

*

Not a day later, Buffy’s shown up at the crypt, sister in tow, glum expressions in place. John Doe and D.B. Norton are having an intense confrontation on the TV screen, and Clem’s so engrossed he doesn’t even notice the two girls at first. ‘Course, he’s also surprised they’d come visit at all. Spike did nooot give the impression that a reconciliation with Buffy was on the cards soon. Or, you know, ever.

Although…

The look on Buffy’s face, when she asks when Spike’ll be back, makes Clem think twice about that.

Well geez. Maybe the two crazy kids will work it out.

Clem’s getting a bit tired of being Spike’s therapist.

*

After that babysitting Dawn business, it’s _ages_ until Clem sees Buffy again. And it’s just a stroke of luck it’s at his favorite bar! Of course, he wasn’t expecting to see Buffy there with a gaggle of girls Dawn’s age, but as it turns out, they’re on Slayer business.

Clem’s only happy to help out.

Once he’s done that, he cedes the floor to Buffy and Spike, who start lecturing the girls on vamp brothels or something. Clem makes a note to himself to catch up properly with Spike. Been an _age_ since they hung out and had monster movie marathons. Spike seems different now, less with the broody and insane, more with the calm. Clem thinks it suits him.

Of course, he’s not surprised at all that Spike and Buffy are together again. Or, not necessarily _together_ , but together enough. These things work themselves out in the end. Clem’s always been an optimist.

Though, he can’t help but feel a pang as he watches the two of them trade knowing smirks over the girls’ heads. If two people with as many issues as Spike and Buffy can get their acts together, what that tells him is that he should be doing the same.

Sunnydale’s a hard place to find real love though.


End file.
